Billy Hicks Hires New Driver For 2026 Lucas Oil Late Model Season
Billy Hicks Hires New Driver For 2026 Lucas Oil Late Model Season
Billy Hicks Racing has hired a former nationally touring winner for a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series rookie campaign in 2026.
A former multitime nationally touring winner will get his shot on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2026.
Billy Hicks announced Tuesday that he's hired Cory Hedgecock to fill the seat of his No. 79 machine vacated by Donald McIntosh following Oct. 18's Dirt Track World Championship at Ohio's Eldora Speedway. The 33-year-old Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., just completed his first season on the Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series where he finished 30 points behind champion Jimmy Owens.
"We are proud to announce Cory Hedgecock will be driving the Billy Hicks owned #79 for the 2026 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points and Rookie of the year," Hicks posted in a statement on Facebook. "The Billy Hicks Racing #79 will also compete in select other events in 2026 along with Cory Hedgecock Motorsports running the Chad Hedgecock owned #23 when we are not on the road."
Hedgecock is the second rookie to commit on the Lucas Oil Series next year along with 23-year-old Pennsylvanian Logan Zarin. One of 62 all-time drivers with multiple World of Outlaws Real American Late Model Series victories, Hedgecock most recently won a national tour in April 2023 at now-defunct 411 Motor Speedway formerly in Seymour, Tenn.
He won his first World of Outlaws event in June 2018, also at 411 Motor Speedway. Hedgecock contested more Super Late Model events than ever before this year, picking up 12 total victories. Nine of them paid more than $7,000, with seven five-figure paydays.
Hedgecock takes over the seat that McIntosh just finished 10th with in his Rookie of the Year season on the Lucas Oil Series for the Hicks-owned team.
Along with sweeping 2024 titles on the Schaeffer’s-sponsored Spring and Southern Nationals, McIntosh won four Super Late Model races 32-year-old driver won four Super Late Model events with Hicks since June 2023, including five-figure paydays in 2024 at Beckley (W.Va.) Motor Speedway and Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C., along with Oct. 11’s Southern All Star triumph at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga.
On the Lucas Oil tour in 2025, McIntosh posted 11 top-10 finishes and outpointed his fellow rookies Daniel Hilsabeck (-330 points) and Dan Ebert (-550).